Keeper of Shadows
by StillFallingAngel
Summary: "If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary." When Danny sold his soul to keep Dani alive he thought life couldn't get worse. He was wrong. Apparently, he is now half dead and a Shadow Keeper. In other words, a Reaper. Full Sum inside.
1. Prologue

**AN: Hey, guys! Sorry about the short length, but keep in mind this is just a prologue. The actual chapters will be a lot longer.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. Which sucks. I'd love to have a cute ghost boy to do my dirty work.  
**

**Full Summary: "If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary." When Danny sold his soul to keep Dani alive he thought life couldn't get worse. **

**He was wrong. **

**Apparently, he is now half dead and a Shadow Keeper. In other words, a Reaper. He, along with a few others, is in charge of collecting souls who refuse to pass on. Most of them have committed some crime against nature, like murder or suicide.  
**

**Imagine his surprise when Dani's one of them.**

Keeper of Shadows

Prologue

If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary.

I've been keeping this journal ever since I sold my soul as a comforting reminder, unaware of just how vital these words have become. They are what you have been searching for, what you have died for.

Your memories.

The Council stole them from you, from us, just like they've stolen everything else. But, I promise you, we will get them back. I'm sorry to say it will not be easy, reliving the past will be hard and living through the future will be even harder. But, I've never been one to back down from a challenge.

My name is Danny Phantom and I am a Keeper of Shadows.

Read on and remember.

**AN: Hey, you see that hot button down there? Says "Review"? Yeah, I'd totally tap that.**


	2. Chapter One: Fighter

**AN: Hello my awesome readers. I'm honestly not really sure about this chapter, but I decided to post it anyway. Hope you all like it.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. Which sucks. I'd love to have a cute ghost boy to do my dirty work.  
**

**Full Summary: "If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary." When Danny sold his soul to keep Dani alive he thought life couldn't get worse. **

**He was wrong. **

**Apparently, he is now half dead and a Shadow Keeper. In other words, a Reaper. He, along with a few others, is in charge of collecting souls who refuse to pass on. Most of them have committed some crime against nature, like murder or suicide.  
**

**Imagine his surprise when Dani's one of them.**

Keeper of Shadows

Chapter One: Fighter  


_Breathe. Just breathe, Danny_.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. The roaring crowd echoed in my ears distantly.

_Concentrate, Danny. You got this. Win this fight and you get 10,000 dollars for you and Danielle_.

The slightly drunk announcer stepped to the middle of the ring and gestured to the muscled man across from me.

"Ladies and 'gents, welcome to the final round," He exclaimed, his words a bit slurred. "In this corner we have the Viper's Pit champion, Dash the Rhino Baxter! And facing him today we have a brand new fighter, Danny the Phantom Fenton!"

I frowned and glanced at the announcer. I never chose the name "Phantom". Did he just give it to me on a whim?

_Focus, Danny. It's not important. Just evaluate_.

I turned my attention back to my opponent who was now smirking at me. He obviously thought this was going to be an easy victory.

Something inside me sparked, warming my insides with it's familiarity. My lips curled back into a snarl as I inspected him. His head was square shaped and was shaved into a buzz cut. Tattoos snaked up his beefy arms, and he seemed to be in his early twenties. I considered my position. He'd be stronger and have more experience in the ring, that I knew without a doubt. But, maybe I could use that to my advantage. I was faster, even though I didn't have a lot of muscle. And I'd have the element of surprise on my side, he didn't expect me to know how to fight. He probably thought I too scrawny. Okay, strategy: get in and get out. Be the one to attack first.

"Whoever walks away tonight will do it with 10,000 dollars!" An answering scream rose from the crowd. "Fighters, are you ready?"

Dash grunted, not even sparing the announcer a glance. I gave him a small nod and started to roll on the bottoms of my feet to warm up.

_Get in, get out_.

"Ready? ...FIGHT!"

Before Dash even had a chance to take a step forward, I lifted my taped fist and smashed it on his big nose, feeling a satisfying crack as it broke under my hand. Dash's head jerked back from the force, and I grinned.

The pain came a second later.

God, his face was _hard_. Stupidly, I took a step while cradling my now throbbing hand.

While I was distracted, Dash charged toward me and jammed his thick shoulder into my stomach. Whatever air I had left my lungs immediately, and I was now hunched over, gasping for oxygen that would not enter my bruised body.

Big mistake.

Dash smirked down at me with a bloody smile from his broken nose, and brought his knee into my face. Pain exploded behind my eyes, and I felt my lip split. Dash started to lift his knee again, but I rolled to the left before it could hit me. I jumped to my feet and spat away the blood collecting in my mouth.

We were across from one another just like at the beginning of the fight. He was eying me warily, and I realized surprise was no longer an advantage. I evaluated the new situation quickly. If he knocked me down again I'd be screwed. I didn't have enough energy to fight him off. I'd been fighting other opponents for hours. The only thing I still had going for me was my speed. I bit my busted lip; would the same strategy still work?

Dash seemed to get tired of waiting. He charged me again, and before I even knew what I was about to do, I rolled my weight to my left foot and swung my right leg into a high arch, slamming my booted foot into the side of his square head. Dash dropped like a rock and for a second all was silent.

But, as I straightened from my crouch, the crowd exploded into noise. Everyone was screaming, whether it was curses or cheering or both, I didn't know. All I heard was a distant ringing, too shocked to even notice when the announcer grabbed my wrist and held it above our heads.

_10,000 dollars..._

"And the winner is-"

A piercing scream interrupted him, one that turned the Viper's Pit into chaos. "POLICE!"

The shout had the same effect as if someone yelled the word, "BOMB!". Everyone rushed to the main exit, shoving and pushing each other to escape, some getting trampled in the process. The main gate was a mass of bodies.

I searched frantically around the building for another exit. No way I'd make it out alive if I tried to leave with everyone else. And if I wasn't trampled I'd probably get arrested. There was way too many cops for this ambush to have been an unplanned thing.

As my eyes scanned past the writhing crowd I felt someone's gaze on my back. I whipped around, worried a cop had noticed me, but it wasn't the police. A girl was standing in the middle of the chaos on the ground staring at me with an odd smile on her lips. I couldn't see much from the distance, but I could tell she had long blue hair and very pale skin.

I blinked once and she was gone.

_Where- _

I was suddenly knocked to the ground by a heavy-set cop who tried to pull my arms behind my back. I reacted on instinct: I bashed my forehead into his and rolled out from under him. I was slightly dizzy, but because of all the adrenaline running through me I barely felt any pain as I ran into the panicked crowd.

I had to get out of here. Dani-

Wait! My money!

I spun in a circle, trying to find the announcer, but I knew there was no way I'd be able to see him in this pandemonium. He'd already left, was dead, or he'd been caught.

_Get back to Danielle. Forget about the money. Dani needs you._

I groaned, but listened to the voice. I just needed to find a-

_There!_

An open metal door hid behind the ring, apparently one nobody had noticed. I immediately headed straight for it, dodging the scrambling crowd. As soon as I was free of the squirming bodies I took off running down the street.

I could hear police sirens in the distance as I bolted down Hemphire Street past abandoned buildings and crumbling houses. I hoped to any God out there that the cops were too busy at the Viper's Pit to come down any side streets. I was too exhausted to try to outrun a car.

Thankfully, the scream of the sirens slowly faded until the only sounds I heard was my harsh breathing and the occasional dog bark. I stopped to make sure I wasn't being followed.

...Nothing.

I sighed in relief, and walked to the building on my right, one of the more stable-looking ones. It used to be an apartment building, but anybody who had lived there back then was long gone.

I climbed the wooden steps and knocked sharply four times on the door. For a moment it was silent, but then a series of matching timid knocks answered back.

Grinning, I opened the door and quickly shut it after I entered. I saw a blur of black hair when suddenly I had an twelve year old girl in my arms. Laughter bubbled from my lips and I squeezed her back, spinning her around in a small circle as I did so.

"You're okay," I breathed in relief. "You're not hurt? Nobody got you?"

Dani shook her head and burrowed herself into my body. She must've heard the sirens.

"Hey, it's okay," I soothed as I rubbed her back. "The police are mainly focusing on Viper's Pit. I doubt they'll come here."

She nodded again, but made no move to leave my embrace. "I saw them drive past the house," She whispered, her hands clutching my sweaty T-shirt.

I held her tighter. To think she was alone when they drove by... She could've been taken if they had searched enough.

"Come on," I sighed, trying to put that idea out of my mind. "You should get to bed. It's late." With her still in my arms, I walked us upstairs to our bedroom. Well, it was an actual apartment, but we used the living room as one bedroom.

Dani yawned and buried her face in my neck. When I entered the living room I didn't dare turn on the battery-powered lamp sitting on the old dresser. Cops would still be searching the area and clearing out Viper's Pit. I wouldn't want them to see a light in a supposedly empty apartment building.

The living room/bedroom wasn't much, just a bare room with a queen sized mattress in the corner and the dresser with the lamp and a cheap alarm clock, also battery-powered. The dresser held both mine and Dani's little amount of clothes. We couldn't afford much and we moved a lot to stay safe. Couldn't carry much in two backpacks.

I sat Dani on the mattress to get her some pajamas so she wouldn't have to sleep in her ratty jeans.

"The white one," Dani mumbled tiredly. I nodded before grabbing her favorite white nightgown, an item I actually bought instead of stole. That made it special to the both of us.

I shut the dresser and walked back over to Dani who looked ready to pass out. I bit my lip and glanced at the alarm clock. It was close to 1:00 in the morning, about an hour later than when I'd usually come home.

I sighed and tossed the nightgown at her before closing my eyes. Dani was too old for me to change her anymore no mater how tired she was. Once Dani was dressed I grabbed the blue comforter and pulled it up to her chin.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" Dani asked, her words almost too quiet for me to hear. I ran a hand through her black curls and untied her ponytail.

"I will soon, Dani. I got a few things left to do. But, don't worry. I'll stay until you fall asleep."

"Kay," She sighed, her blue eyes closed. I kissed her forehead gently, as I did every night. "Love you, Danny."

"I love you too," I promised. "Forever."

Dani's breathing slowly evened and when I was sure she was asleep I stood and went back downstairs. Except for the creaking floor underneath my worn combat boots all was quiet. There was no more police sirens or yelling, just an odd silence. I frowned; it was good there was no cops racing down the street but there should be _some_ kind of noise. This neighborhood was never completely quiet, there should be a barking dog, car horns, screaming couples, drunk laughter, maybe even gunshots. _Something_.

But, no.

There wasn't even so much as the wind. The only thing I heard was my breathing.

I crept to the front window and carefully lifted the bed sheet that worked as a curtain to glance outside.

And nearly screamed.

The girl I had seen in the crowd was standing outside my window, smiling, like she'd just come for a visit. She waved.

I let the bed sheet fall and scrambled backwards. Shit, shit, shit! Was she with the cops? How did she find me? I thought I wasn't being followed!

_That doesn't matter right now. Get Dani out of here._

I turned to race back up the stairs, but the girl's voice stopped me cold.

"Daniel Fenton, please open the door. We need to talk." The words were firm, but the tone was gentle. They brushed against my ears like leaves rustling in the wind, and I found myself walking to the front door to let her in.

When I opened the door she was standing on the porch, still smiling. I wondered if she ever stopped.

"Hello, Danny," She greeted and held a pale hand out for me to shake. I did so in a daze. "My name is Ember. Can we talk inside?" I nodded, though a tiny voice in my head was screaming not to. I ignored it easily. Ember wouldn't do anything.

Ember pushed past me into the building and strode over to the small card table and chairs I had found a few houses over. They had been light and in pretty good shape so I dragged them back here about two weeks ago.

Ember sat in one of the chairs and gestured for me to do the same.

I did.

Now that Ember was close enough I could see much more of her. I was right when I said she was pale and had blue hair, but I didn't really see how extreme it was. Her skin was so white it looked like she had never seen the sun. Her blue, wild hair fell to her slender waist and I noticed her entire outfit was black. Her eyes were bright green and circled with black eyeliner that made them pop even more.

"So, Danny," She mused and twirled a strand of her hair around a long finger. "I'm here to offer you a deal." Warning bells rang in my head distantly, but as Ember continued to talk they faded away. "Don't worry, Danny. It's not nearly as bad as you'd think. In fact, we'd both benefit greatly."

When I nodded in compliance Ember's smile widened. I was sure whatever she was suggesting would be the best course of action. How could it not, after all? It was Ember's idea.

Ember leaned across the card table and took my hand in both of her's, looking pleased. "I'm glad we're on the same page. But, Danny, I want to ask you a question." She paused and gave my hand sympathetic squeeze. "How do you like your life right now?"

"I hate it," I replied immediately. At the time I wasn't sure why I was so ready to open up to this stranger, but I couldn't stop myself. Like when a dam brakes, everything just came flooding out. "Since Mom and Dad died three years ago and I ran away from the last foster home I've been taking care of this girl I met on the streets, Dani. But, since I'm still under eighteen I can't get a real job; it's why I fight illegally. I won't go near drugs or other shit like that. Good thing I've been training since I was six otherwise I'm sure that would be my only option." I sighed, and felt my shoulders sag with weight. "We can't go to school either, but we go to libraries as often as possible and stay for hours. I try to teach Dani what I can on my own. I know she wants to go to school, though, and I can't blame her. She's a little girl she should be hanging out with other kids."

Ember was murmuring in agreement and gestured for me to go on. I did willingly.

"It was hell trying to get high enough to fight to earn some real money. The first days were especially bad, but we made it. But, tonight when I was about to win 10,000 dollars police interfered before I could collect it. Almost got arrested." I grimaced at the thought. "Now Viper's Pit has been discovered and I'll have to start at the beginning all over again." My shoulder's slumped even more. I knew all this already, but saying it out loud made it even worse. It sounded so impossible. I didn't want to put Dani through this again.

"Well, Danny," Ember interrupted my thoughts. She was still holding my hand, but wasn't smiling anymore. She looked serious and professional, like she was doing business. "How would you feel if I told you I had all the answers to your problems?"

Once again, her voice caressed my senses and I felt some of the weight lift from my shoulders. Ember would make everything alright.

"Can you?" I whispered hopefully.

Her smile reappeared. "Of course I can, Danny. You and Dani will get everything you wish for. I just need a small amount of payment first." A sliver of disappointment stabbed me. Money? I wasn't going to have any for a long time now that Viper's Pit was discovered.

"I don't have-"

Ember put a finger to my lips. It was strangely cold. "I'm not asking you for money. I need your soul."

What?

Suddenly, I was back to myself again, staring at Ember in disbelief. My _soul_? Was she stupid? Crazy? Was soul some new word for something illegal? Another type of drug I'd never heard of?

I yanked my hand out of her grip and stood with my arms crossed over my chest. I glared down at her and ordered, "Get out." Whatever the hell she meant I knew it wasn't going to help me. I'd figure things out on my own like always.

There was no smile on her face now. It was carefully blank as she pushed away from the table and got to her feet. She mimicked my position. "Danny, please-"

That voice. It was soothing and compelling and-

"Stop!" I fought the urge to clamp my hands over my ears. "Whatever the hell you're doing to me stop it right now!" I demanded, curling my hands into fists.

We stared at each other with narrowed eyes for what seemed like hours. Finally, Ember sighed and lowered her gaze. I felt a flicker of triumph, but quickly smothered it. She was still here.

"Fine. Fine." She held up her hands in a mock surrender. Her voice still had a certain ring to it, but it wasn't overwhelming like before. "I'll go. But this isn't over. You'll need me soon enough." She smirked and glided over to the front door before giving me a flirty wave. "Bye, Danny."

She opened the door and left into the night.

Groaning, I rubbed my forehead.

_Longest. Night. Ever.  
_

**AN: (Sigh) This chapter didn't flow as well as I wanted it to. Oh well, I guess. Anyway, I'M LOOKING FOR A BETA! But, keep in mind, I'm not just looking for someone to correct my spelling/grammar mistakes. I have programs for that. The beta I need has to be willing to toss ideas around with me and tell me if the story flows well enough and other things like that. **

**Okay, that's all. Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the first official chapter!**


	3. Chapter Two: The Deal

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. Which sucks. I'd love to have a cute ghost boy to do my dirty work.  
**

**Full Summary: "If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary." When Danny sold his soul to keep Dani alive he thought life couldn't get worse. **

**He was wrong. **

**Apparently, he is now half dead and a Shadow Keeper. In other words, a Reaper. He, along with a few others, is in charge of collecting souls who refuse to pass on. Most of them have committed some crime against nature, like murder or suicide.  
**

**Imagine his surprise when Dani's one of them.**

Keeper of Shadows

Chapter Two: The Deal  


Life was hard. Well, life had been hard for years now, but in the days after Viper's Pit it had truly reached a new level of _suck_. After the whole Ember incident Dani and I packed up our two backpacks and headed for somewhere else. She thought we were moving because of Viper's Pit, and even though that was one of the reasons, the biggest was I had no idea who Ember was. All I knew was she somehow...tricked me? Brainwashed me? And she knew who I was even before I ended up blabbing my life's story.

Obviously something weird was going on and I didn't want us there any longer.

Dani didn't complain about moving, but that actually made me feel worse. All Dani wanted was a home, and I kept making her leave to somewhere new. She swore she didn't mind where we were as long as she was with me, but I noticed those longing glances she threw at families we passed.

The day I sold my soul was ironically a Monday. Everybody hates Mondays, right? Anyway, Dani and I were at a mall a few towns over from our previous neighborhood. It was in better shape and had that bubble feeling, you know the one. Like, the town was encased in a bubble, isolated from the rest of the world. It was nice, but too nice. Dani and I would be noticed in a town like this.

Still, Dani convinced me to stop at the mall so we could get some new clothes. We immediately headed to the thrift store attached to it's side to steal one or two outfits. We separated so it would seem less suspicious, each of us shouldering a ratty bag. I browsed near the dressing rooms and searched for cameras out of the corner of my eye.

Only one was pointing at me, and it only got the side of my face, not the front. Thanking my rare good luck, I grabbed two T-shirts off the metal rack. I took them and a pair of jeans I found on a table into the dressing room and shut the curtain. I dumped the clothes from my bag onto the bench and switched them with the ones I had just taken. There was a noticeable difference, but I was careful to bunch my old clothes in my arms so nobody could tell.

I left the dressing room and put the clothes on the rack, like I had decided I didn't want them. I looked exactly the same coming out as I did going in.

Perfect.

I was still busy patting myself on the back when I heard Dani scream.

She was struggling against a store clerk, a middle aged man trying to take a pair of jeans from her. I rushed over and lifted her in my arms, not bothering to fight for the jeans. The clerk was breathing hard and gripping the pants like they were his lifeline. I started to turn around, but there was too many people to make a clean get away. Better play it off like it was nothing. I stayed where I was and set Dani down at my side. When he glared at Dani I shifted her behind me protectively.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I demanded, giving him a glare of my own. Nobody messed with Dani.

The clerk's pasty face was flushed with exertion and his forehead was shiny with sweat. A flush of pride washed over me. Dani had given him quite the fight.

"That brat," He spat, "was trying to steal these!" He held up the jeans in a clenched fist.

Run. Run now.

I ignored the voice and tried to arrange my expression into slight amusement and annoyance. Like I found it funny the man could possibly accuse Dani, but I was annoyed too cause the claim was so ridiculous.

"Please," I scoffed at the man, very much aware of the shoppers who were beginning to surround us. "Dianna would never do that. She's just a little girl." I gave Dani a look over my shoulder. "_Right_, Dianna?"

Dani peeked from my side, giving the illusion of shyness. She shot the store clerk a sheepish grin that looked so real I almost believed her myself.

That's my girl.

"Of course I wouldn't steal anything, sir," She protested with wide, blue eyes. "Stealing is wrong. Derek taught me." She smiled sweetly at me and some of the women cooed.

An average looking man walked up to the clerk and patted him on his red vested shoulder. "I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding. Why don't you just let these kids go?" He gestured toward us and murmurs of agreement broke out among the group. I guess this was a even safer town than I thought it was.

Before the store clerk could protest I smiled and said, "Well, we'll just be going now. Our parents are waiting for us at the food court. Don't want to be late. It's rude." I gripped Dani's hand and practically jogged out of the store without any new clothes for Dani.

Dani was giggling as we made our way through the halls to the food court. The parents part was a lie, but I knew Dani was hungry. Thankfully I had five dollars to spend for her meal and maybe something for myself too. Food was harder to steal unless we were at an actual store.

I threw a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure we were being followed before slowing down to a more normal pace. Dani followed my example.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

She knew what I meant. "Nothing, Danny. It was just a stupid mistake on my part. It won't happen again." Her gaze was fixed firmly in front of us and her voice was expressionless, just like I taught her. It was best not to look at people directly for various reason.

But, she wasn't supposed to do it to me.

I held her small hand tighter. "Danielle, please don't do that. Just tell me what happened. We can't have another mistake like that." If we hadn't gotten so lucky back there we would've been handed to the police and things would've escalated quickly.

Dani shook her head stubbornly. "I said don't worry about it, Danny. It was a one time thing, I swear. Now just let it go."

Anger spiked in my stomach at her carelessness. Let it go? Did she not realize what would've happened? Or did she just not care? "Do you _want_ to be taken away, Danielle? Is that it? Cause if it is, just tell me now. It'll save me a lot of trouble later. I'll just drop you off at the police station and they can deal with you instead of me," I snapped, though still quiet. Even angry, I knew better than to raise my voice. Too much attention.

Dani's words were forced when she spoke. A clue that she was trying to hold back tears. "I'm sorry, Danny. I-I didn't mean to mess up. You know I don't want to be caught. Why don't we just leave? I'm not hungry."

All my frustration washed away to be replaced with incredible guilt. God, I didn't mean to make her _cry_.

_Way to go, Fenton_.

Sighing, I pulled Dani to a stop and tilted her chin up so she would look at me. Her watery, blue eyes carefully avoided mine, her lip between her teeth. Another wave of guilt crashed down on me. I did everything I could to keep those tears away, not bring them to the surface myself.

"I'm sorry, Dani," I murmured and brushed her cheek with my thumb. "I'm just a bit stressed. I shouldn't have said those things to you. If you don't want to talk about what happened, that's fine. Just please, try not to do it again."

She gave me a wobbly smile which I returned. "Okay."

"Great. Now, are you sure you're not hungry?" I shoved her playfully and we continued walking.

She shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "Maybe I'm a little hungry. What'cha think? McDonald's or Chinese?"

And with the promise of food our fight was forgotten.

* * *

Hours passed. We were still in the same town cause I didn't want to leave without any new clothes for Dani. The ones she had were too ratty and the neighborhood seemed low on security. So, we decided to stay for one night. Problem was, there wasn't any places we could crash cause everything was too well-kept. Night in the park it was.

We were sitting under one of those pavilions where people had cookouts, a small fire burning in the fireplace. I hoped it was too dark to see the smoke. The night was too cold _not_ to have a fire, I didn't want Dani to get sick. Fall was officially here.

Dani was staring into the flames, half her face cast in shadow. She was unusually quiet, but I didn't want to bug her. If she wanted to talk to me then she would.

Despite the fire, I could see our breath. I dug out my jacket from my bag and draped it over her shoulders. Her eyes flickered over to me once, but quickly moved back to the fire. I frowned, but didn't comment.

We sat there for maybe thirty more minutes when Dani's big yawn broke the silence. She stretched her arms above her head and sighed, her eyes blinking sleepily.

I nudged her with my shoulder. "You want to sleep? It's around midnight and we got a big day of walking tomorrow." We'd have to get Dani some clothes and find another city to hide out in, hopefully one where I could do something for money without any questions.

Dani just nodded and laid down on a picnic table, her backpack bunch up under her head like a pillow and my jacket covering her like a blanket. I watched her breathing deepen and slow until I was sure she was asleep.

Then I fell to pieces.

I dropped my head in my hands and did my best not to groan out loud. This was starting to look impossible. Dani didn't have any clothes, we didn't have any cash, I didn't have any way to _get_ cash, I had no idea where we could go next, winter was coming and we didn't have shelter, and there was a girl out there who wanted my soul and somehow knew everything about me.

Life sucked.

I would later deny it, but a small part of me was beginning to regret sending Ember away. I could've at least heard her out. Maybe she actually could've helped me out. If she couldn't, then oh well, right? The only thing I would've wasted was time.

_Are you forgetting about the part where she_ mind controlled _you_?

Mind control didn't exist. I was probably just really tired. I mean, I did escape a police ambush after competing in a fighting tournament. Who wouldn't be exhausted?

_So exhausted you told your life story to a total stranger after letting her in?_

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. Okay, arguing with myself was not helping anything. I needed to figure out what to do and asking 'what if' questions was useless.

But, I still couldn't get Ember off my mind.

Let's say she could fix everything and that she really wanted my soul. Would I be able to give it to her? I wasn't a religious person, I didn't believe in God, but I was pretty sure I wanted to keep my soul if it really did exist. But, even if it did, what has my soul done for me? Do I use it like any other body part?

If she really fixed everything, Dani and I wouldn't have to live on the streets anymore. Dani could go to school like she wanted and have friends. She could have three square meals per day and sleep in a real bed. She could be a kid.

I stared at Dani sleeping on the picnic table. Even in sleep her face wasn't relaxed. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she was shivering slightly from the cold wind. I took off the jacket I was wearing and covered her with that one too. I brushed her black bangs away from her face.

Dani could be happy.

"You know," I jumped and whirled around to face Ember, who was leaning against the fireplace, looking bored. "You could've just let me talk the first time. It would've saved you a lot of trouble." She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at me. She looked exactly the same as I last saw her. Same wild blue hair, bright green eyes, and black clothes. For some reason, her voice was different, though. It didn't have that calming edge.

I stood in front of Dani like a shield, my face carefully blank. "What do you want, Ember?"

She rolled her green eyes, apparently exasperated by my question. "Well, you called me here, dipstick. It's what _you_ want, not the other way around." She stared at me expectantly.

"Uh..."

She groaned and slapped her forehead. "Idiot," she mumbled. "Why you need to make this so complicated..."

My eyes narrowed. "Look, I didn't call you here. I don't have a phone, so that's not even possible. Now, I would appreciate it if you would _oh so_ kindly leave."

She smirked. "I actually like you. You're sarcastic."

I thought about saying 'Thank you', but realized that would be sarcastic. Instead, I sighed and ran a hand through my messy hair. "Okay, I'm sorry, but I really don't know why you're here. I never called you and my answer is still 'no' to whatever you wanted."

Her smirk widened. "Oh, your answer wasn't 'no' a few minutes ago. You were contemplating my offer, that's what called me here. Not some stupid phone."

I froze. _How_-

"Yes, Danny, don't even bother denying it. You were considering saying yes." She glanced at Dani and raised an eyebrow. "Because of her, no doubt." It wasn't a question.

I was still rooted to the spot, in no shape to talk. Getting me to talk was one thing, but this? Showing up when I was thinking about her, even _knowing_ what I was thinking at the time... This was crazy.

Ember sighed dramatically. "Please spare me the whole "I must be going insane" bit. Or the denial. I mean, come on, Danny. You know this is real. YOu know what I want."

"My soul," I whispered. I knew that this shouldn't be possible, but how could I deny anything when I was seeing it with my own two eyes?

Ember clapped enthusiastically. "Very good. Aren't you the smart one?" She drawled.

I didn't bother responding. If all this was real then Ember's offer really was-

"It still stands, you know. My offer. I can make all your problems go away if you just give me your soul." She spoke casually, like this all wasn't a big deal. "You really don't even need it. Most people don't use them."

I half hysterical laugh ripped from my throat. "Oh, well, _that_ makes everything okay!" Okay, so, I was a bit overwhelmed. Ember seemed to notice because her face softened and she reached for my hand.

I let her take it.

"I know this is hard to understand," She murmured, squeezing my hand gently. "But, I really can help you and Dani. I promise you won't miss it, you don't need it to live. And when you give it to me Dani can be a normal kid with a happy life. That's what you want for her isn't it?" Her bright green eyes bored into mine. "For Dani to be happy?"

I glanced back at the still sleeping Dani, huddled together on a hard picnic table. She deserved so much more...

"Help her, Danny," Ember whispered into my ear, her cold breath giving me goosebumps. "Don't make her live like this when you have the power to change it."

I turned to Ember slowly and nodded once. "Okay," I agreed. "What do I need to do?"

Ember was smiling as she flipped my hand palm upwards, but her eyes unexpectedly hardened. "Listen to me, Danny." She lowered her voice, as if someone was listening. "Everything is about intent. If you really want to do this then you have to truly believe this is your only choice. It's all about intent, Danny." She stared at me with grave eyes, warning me about something she thought was important. That's when I knew Ember didn't want me to do this, despite what she had been telling me earlier. But, why? Did she change her mind?

_No_, I realized as I met her pleading gaze. _She_ never _wanted me to do this_.

I started to pull my hand away and her eyes lightened. But then Dani's face flashed across my mind, of her eyes had lost so much innocence over the years and the wall she had around herself, a wall I told her to build to keep her safe.

My love for her.

Intent, Danny. It all has to do with intent.

I gripped Ember's hand tighter and steeled my resolve. I would do this for Dani. Ember's face fell, but quickly lost any expression. She pricked my finger with her knife, pain flaring briefly. Ember squeezed and a drop of blood welled and ran down the side of my finger. It fell to the ground and splattered like a raindrop. Distantly, I worried about the on-coming storm.

Intent, Danny. Everything has to do with intent.

And just like that my soul was no longer mine.

**AN: Somebody asked me if Danny and Dani were a couple. Answer: NO! At the least, they are like brother and sister. At most, father and daughter. Also, Sam will either be introduced next chapter or the one after that.  
**

**Review and tell me how you liked it! I love constructive criticism. Or praise. Either works. (Smirks) **

**Hope you all liked it!**


	4. Chapter Three: Family

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. Which sucks. I'd love to have a cute ghost boy to do my dirty work.  
**

**Full Summary: "If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary." When Danny sold his soul to keep Dani alive he thought life couldn't get worse. **

**He was wrong. **

**Apparently, he is now half dead and a Shadow Keeper. In other words, a Reaper. He, along with a few others, is in charge of collecting souls who refuse to pass on. Most of them have committed some crime against nature, like murder or suicide.  
**

**Imagine his surprise when Dani's one of them.**

Keeper of Shadows

Chapter Three: Family  


I can't describe the pain. Not really. But, I can tell you it was the worst I've ever lived through, including the time when I dislocated my elbow seven years ago. The best comparison I can come up with is being slowly torn in half.

I think I was screaming, but I couldn't really tell over the pounding of my heart. It echoed in my ears, like I was walking down a tunnel. At the time, I was sure it was mocking me, a reminder of my mortality. Coldness was spreading throughout my body and making my limbs even heavier.

I didn't know where I was, when it was, nothing except the pain. For all I knew, Ember had killed Dani and kidnapped me.

I spent an eternity like that, simply enduring. All warmth had left me, but I was thankful for it when I realized it was numbing me. As the pain continued to fade another feeling replaced it, a growing pressure that almost-

_A girl. A girl with purple lips was smiling at me. She reached with a pale hand to tuck a piece of short, black hair behind her ear. Strange violet eyes were sparkling in amusement and...something else. It was...fond? No, not quite right, but close. Though I didn't understand how she could feel something like that for me. I'd never seen her before in my life, but I knew her face like we were best friends. _

_And as crazy as it seemed, I knew her name too. _

_This goth girl was Sam Manson_.

"It's been a whole day. Why isn't he awake yet?"

"He's holding on too tightly. If he'd just let go of it..."

"This one's stubborn. Figure's Ember would choose him." Ember?

"Hey, I did my best!" That was Ember's voice. It still had that edge, but it was tinted by annoyance and tiredness. "He's gonna be great. You'll see."

"Huh. Well, _I_ get why Ember picked him. He's super cute."

"I'm right here, Kitty. Your _boyfriend_!"

"Oh, calm down, Johnny. I'm allowed to look."

"Uh, no, actually. You-"

"Would you guys just _shut up_?" Ember again. "None of us want to listen to another one of your spats. Besides, remember your changing? You know what the pain's like!" There was grumbling. When Ember began to speak again she sounded smug. "Thought so. Now then, let's see if we can help him out a bit. Danny, can you hear me?"

Silence. I tried to answer, but all that came out was a groan. There was shuffling and excited murmurs. "Good, Danny," Ember called. "Nice job. But, why don't you open those baby blues, dipstick. There's a lot of work we gotta do."

"Oh, yeah. That'll get him up," A guy muttered. I think it was Johnny.

I heard a smack and cursing before Ember started to talk again. "I promise none of these idiots will hurt you. Just wake up and I'll explain everything." More shuffling.

My eyes felt like they'd been super-glued shut, but I managed to pry them open. Everything was blurry, and I got the feeling I'd been sleeping or unconscious or whatever for a long time. I blinked a couple of times to clear my vision.

I was laying in a bed surrounded by...teenagers.

At least, they looked like teenagers.

...Most of them.

I'm sure I would've screamed if I wouldn't have felt so exhausted. Seven faces were staring at me, each with varying expressions. Well, one of them didn't seem to have a face, but did have red sunglasses. Ember was standing next to No Face, seeming to have no problem with it. She just looked relieved and...guilty? Beside Ember was a geeky African American boy with the complete nerd package. Thick glasses, no muscle, and wearing a red beret. On the other side of my bed was three girls and another guy. All the girls looked relatively normal, one was also African American and pretty too. The other was Ember-pale, had green hair and was dressed like a biker chick. The last was slender and was a redhead. The guy was pale too, with stringy blonde hair, freckles, and clad in black.

I thought I was still dreaming.

"How do you feel, Danny?" Ember asked from the side of the bed. Her brow was furrowed in concern, but I didn't understand why. I'd just met her and we weren't exactly kindred spirits. But since I was sure this was a dream or maybe a hallucination I decided to answer.

"Considering how I was feeling before? Fan-fucking-tastic." My voice was hoarse beyond believe, like I hadn't spoken in years.

The blonde haired guy snorted and rolled his eyes. "Check this dude out. Thinks he's so tough." I didn't have enough energy to get offended, but apparently I didn't have to.

The biker chick smacked the guy's shoulder. "Don't start that crap, Johnny. His changing lasted for a whole _day_. How long was your's? Five hours?" Nerd boy, and the pretty black girl snickered.

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Be quiet, please. Now's so not the time for this." She turned her attention to me and smiled gently. "Hi, my name is Jazz. I'd shake your hand, but I remember how weak I was after the changing." She gestured toward Biker Chick and Blonde Guy. "She's Kitty and that's Johnny. Don't worry about them. I'm afraid they're always this stupid."

"Hey," Kitty protested, though it was playful. Johnny smirked at Jazz, like he knew an inside joke.

"Obviously, you know Ember," Jazz continued. Ember waved slightly. "The guy next to her is Amorpho. No, you are not going crazy, he doesn't have a face. We'll explain that later." Amorpho lifted a hand in greeting. "Next we have Tucker," Nerd Boy. "And Valerie." Pretty girl. "Any questions?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out. I had so many questions that I didn't even know where to start. They all buzzed around in my head like angry bees.

Everyone was looking at me with mixtures of pity and understanding. I automatically stiffened and wiped all emotion from my face. Old habits.

There was a minute of awkward silence as I stared at them and they stared at me. Finally, Ember shoved everyone back from my bed with an exaggerated sigh. "Alright, guys. He's not an exhibit in a zoo. Let's give him some space. Besides, I'm sure he wants to rest."

I immediately tried to sit up, a protest on my lips. "I don't-"

Ember rolled her eyes and gently pushed me back down. "Oh, don't even start. I know how exhausted you are. Don't worry, I'll explain everything when you wake back up."

I shook my head stubbornly. "I really-"

Jazz was the one who interrupted me next. "Seriously, Danny. We aren't going anywhere and neither are you. The answers will still be here." The others gave sounds of agreement.

"Yeah, baby," Kitty cooed, brushing the hair from my eyes. "I won't be going anywhere either." She winked and gave me a wicked grin while Johnny glared at me from behind her.

I meant to say something, but before I could my eyes were slipping shut to the sound of the group's bickering.

The next time I woke up only Tucker was still in the room. He was sitting in a chair next to the bed, sleeping with his mouth wide open. His black glasses were askew.

I evaluated the room I was in. It appeared to be a standard bedroom, though it was weird there wasn't any windows. It had usual bedroom furniture: the single bed I was laying on, a nightstand with a lamp, and Tucker's chair. Everything had a light layer of dust. I guessed nobody used this room much.

I sighed and counted the cracks in the ceiling. The last thing I remembered was Ember pricking my finger because I...sold my soul. I nearly laughed out loud, even after what had happened I still couldn't believe it. How could I, when all my life I'd never considered anything like that existed? It wasn't supposed to be possible.

And yet, I was laying on a bed in a house full of strangers after going through a day of agony and talking to a girl who brainwashed me.

God, what the _hell_ was going on?

Tucker suddenly jerked awake, like he hadn't meant to fall asleep. Blinking, he noticed I was awake. He leaned over and patted me on the shoulder with a grin. "Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty. Been out for almost ten hours. Doin' okay?"

I shrugged. "I've been better. But, don't worry about that. I need answers."

Tucker smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, I bet you do. I know I did. You're taking this remarkable well, by the way." He cocked his head to the side. "Not sure what to make of you."

I snorted. "Yeah. That's pretty much how I feel. About _everything_."

The bitterness in Tucker's laugh surprised me. He didn't seem like the cynical type. "I know. Believe me, I know. Anyway, why don't we go downstairs? That's where everyone is and where you'll get your answers." He stuck out his hand to help me up. I gripped it tight, cause despite my show of just needing an explanation I was still a little weak.

Tucker wrapped an arm around my shoulders when I stood. He seemed to know I needed help without me telling him. I took a shaky step and then another until we were at the door. It opened silently and we began our descend down the stairs.

It was a tedious journey, but we made it to the bottom. I could immediately see the kitchen, a bright place filled with the people I had met earlier. They were laughing quietly and eating what I assumed was dinner.

When Tucker and I entered the room it all went silent. Everyone was staring at me, and I did my best to stand on my own. Weakness equals death, after all.

Tucker left my side to get a plate full of food from the table everyone was sitting around. He handed it to me and guided me to the table to sit down next to Ember and Amorpho. Ember smiled at me and Amorpho...looked at me? He still didn't have a face so it was kinda hard to tell...

"Okay," Valerie sighed. She pushed away from the table and crossed her arms. "Let's just get to it. Danny, we're Shadow Keepers."

I blinked. "Okay." I had no idea what that was, but it didn't sound that bad.

Jazz pinched between the bride of her nose. "He;s not going to know what that is, Val."

Valerie's green eyes narrowed. "Fine. Why don't _you_ tell him?" She grumbled something I didn't hear and picked at her food.

Jazz shrugged and turned her attention to me with a certain formality I only saw in teachers. She spoke like she was giving a lecture. "A Shadow Keeper is another term for Angel of Death or a Reaper. There's many other names, but I won't list them now. We," She gestured to everyone, including me, "Are Shadow Keepers. We collect the souls in the human world who refuse to move on. It's-"

"Wait, wait, wait," I interrupted, my hands held up in the universal 'stop' gesture. "You're telling me you're...ghost hunters?"

Johnny snorted into his meal. "Something like that," He muttered.

Jazz ignored him. "I suppose you could say that. It's what we do to pay off our debt. You know, for when we sold our souls." She didn't give me the chance to speak. "Please, don't start. We've all been though the denial phase, it's inevitable, but just remember what's happened so far. How else would you explain these past few days?"

She had a point.

"So," She continued, "Back to what I was saying. When you sold your soul you became one of us. A Shadow Keeper. The process you just woke up from is what we call the changing. Your soul was...well, basically being ripped from your body."

I shuddered, remembering the pain I had been in just a few hours ago. "Hey, what did Kitty mean when she said something about Johnny's changing only lasting five hours?" Everyone but Johnny startled me when they burst into loud laughter. "What's so funny?"

Tucker was actually crying and clutching his stomach. "Oh, damn, I like this one! Ember, you did good!" He must have seen the utter bewilderment because he tried to explain even though he could hardly breathe. "Dude, just think of Johnny's changing like an erection."

I blinked. "Huh?" Confusion seemed to be my permanent state.

Tucker was still snickering. "You know, you don't want to finish too fast, right? Well, Johnny-boy just can't seem to hold out. Too bad. The chicks dig it."

Valerie snorted and hit Tucker on the back of his head. "What the hell would you know about sex? Or girls?"

"I still don't understand," I interrupted before they could start to fight. "What does time have to do with the changing?"

Ember looked thankful for my intervention. "The longer the changing takes the tighter your hold on your soul. The harder it is to give it up."

Johnny was glowering at his food and holding his fork so hard that his knuckles were turning white. "My changing was the shortest and they refuse to let me forget it."

Kitty came to his rescue. She slid into his lap and wrapped her long legs around his waist, grinning. "Oh, Johnny, honey. You know I don't care about that. You're better at...other things." She winked and everybody groaned. Tucker even faked vomited.

"Oh, gross!"

"Get a room!"

"I'm trying to eat here!"

"How many times have I told you: don't make sexual innuendos at the table!"

I couldn't help feeling amused. These people didn't act like the soulless reapers they said they were. They acted like...family. A mix of emotions rose inside me. They told me I was now a Shadow Keeper too. I was a _part_ of though Dani wasn't here I was comfortable, filled with longing, and hell, even hope. I could have a family.

_But, what about Dani?_

Dani was fine. Right? She was the whole reason I sold my soul in the first place and Ember said she would be happy.

Didn't she?

"Anyway," Jazz yelled over the group's talking. They quieted and turned their attention back to us. "I wasn't finished explaining. When you became a Shadow Keeper you get a special ability too, along with the normal ghost powers-"

"Hang on," I blurted, my eyes wide. "I have _powers_?"

Jazz nodded. "Course. You're going to need a little help if you collect angry spirits. We all have basic powers: flight, invisibility, intangibility, overshadowing, ghost ray, extreme strength, and so on. When you go ghost-"

"Wait," I sighed, slumping forward. "I'm confused again. What do you mean "going ghost"?"

Jazz was thankfully patient, giving me the feeling that this wasn't the first time she's had to explain everything. "We're half dead. We can choose which form we want. I'm in my human side, along with Tucker and Valerie."

"So I can turn into a ghost whenever I want. Like right now?"

Jazz seemed hesitant when she spoke."Yes, you can transform whenever you want. Except for right now."

I frowned. "Why not?"

"Well, you- I mean, you're...What I'm trying to say-"

Johnny rolled his eyes and groaned. "Oh, for the love of...Danny, you're a ghost right now. During the changing everyone automatically transforms. Including you."

"Johnny," Jazz snapped. "Way to be sensitive!"

Johnny waved his hand dismissively. "Best to just give it to him straight."

"But you don't just-"

Their argument faded into white noise as I tried to process what Johnny had just said. I was _dead_? Right now and I didn't even _notice_?

"Danny?" Ember's voice broke my trance. She was gazing at me in concern.

I forced myself to smile at her. "I'm fine. Just a bit overwhelmed." Overwhelmed. Right. I wasn't just over my head. I was struggling underneath the suffocating water with no hope of ever reaching the surface.

She nodded, but didn't look any less worried. "Would you like to see yourself?"

I shrugged helplessly. "I guess."

We both stood and Ember took my hand. I noticed her hand was no longer cold. She led me to a hallway with a plain mirror screwed on the wall. I raised my eyes to look at my new reflection.

_Who is that?_ was my first thought. I didn't recognize the guy staring back at me. He had pure white hair, bright green eyes like Ember's, tan skin, and an almost surreal glow around him. I reached up to touch the cool glass.

He did the same.

"It's still you," Ember whispered. She met his, I mean, _my_ eyes in the mirror. "I know it seems wrong, but this is you too. I can teach you to transform into your human form later, if you want."

I said nothing. I had no idea what I wanted. Where I belonged.

"We're your family now, Danny," Ember murmured. "All of us know what you're going through." She smiled wryly. "We're all half dead here. Now you just need a name."

I didn't say anything, but she must have noticed my confusion. "We all get a new name after our changing. Mine is Siren, Valerie's is Huntress, Johnny's is 13, and so on." She rested her chin on my shoulder. "I've had an idea for a while now. Want to hear it?"

I shrugged as I best as I could with her chin resting on my shoulder. Why not? A new face, a new family, a new purpose. A new name sounded fitting.

"How about Phantom?" Ember suggested, her breathing ruffling my newly white hair. "Danny Phantom?"

Phantom. A ghost of who I was.

I smiled into the mirror.

_Perfect_.

**AN: Sorry it took longer than normal. I didn't have any internet for four days, but I wrote anyway! I hope you all like it! REVIEW! PLEASE, OH PLEASE!  
**


	5. Chapter Four: First Morning

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. Which sucks. I'd love to have a cute ghost boy to do my dirty work.  
**

**Full Summary: "If you're reading this then we have failed. You have no idea who I am, who you are, or who you've sacrificed everything for. I'm sorry for that, but as you'll soon discover it was necessary." When Danny sold his soul to keep Dani alive he thought life couldn't get worse. **

**He was wrong. **

**Apparently, he is now half dead and a Shadow Keeper. In other words, a Reaper. He, along with a few others, is in charge of collecting souls who refuse to pass on. Most of them have committed some crime against nature, like murder or suicide.  
**

**Imagine his surprise when Dani's one of them.**

Keeper of Shadows

Chapter Four: First Morning  


_Sam was sad. _

_...It made me sad too. I wanted her to always be happy, though I can't say why. I still had no idea who she was aside from my previous dream. All I really had for guidance were the feelings building inside me, and they told me I needed to fix whatever was wrong. Sam should never ever be sad. _

_Her violet eyes glistened with rare tears, but I knew she wouldn't let them fall. She was leaning over me, her hair tickling my cheeks. She rested her forehead against mine and closed her eyes. _

_Sam was warm. _

_"Please don't do this," She whispered, her voice thick. "Don't you leave me too." There was a feeling of wrongness. Sam was too strong a person to sound so defeated, so desperate. _

_I had no clue what was going on, but I found myself apologizing to her like I had done something wrong. "I'm sorry, Sam. I'm so, so sorry."_

Then I woke up.

I was laying in the same bed as before when I first saw all the Keepers. Apparently, this was my bedroom. They told me I could do whatever I wanted with it, that it was my space. In a way, it was nice cause I haven't had my own bedroom in years. On the other hand, I was unused to the solitude and silence. Dani and I shared a bed ever since I met her.

_Dani_. I sighed and moved my hands behind my head. I had asked Ember about her earlier, but she refused to tell me anything. I threatened to leave to check up on her, just to see if she was okay.

And then Ember dropped another bomb.

We were in what the Keepers called the" Ghost Zone" or in other words, the realm of the dead. Dani was in a completely different dimension. I'd been ready to explode, but Ember quickly assured me we'd cross the border to the living tomorrow.

I glanced at the alarm clock Valerie had given me.

Scratch that. We'd cross the border today.

Groaning, I sat up and ran my hand through my hair. I'm sure I'd need the energy in a few hours, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep after that dream of Sam and thinking about Dani. There was just too much going on inside my head.

I threw the blanket back, stood up, and slipped out the door, careful to shut it quietly so I wouldn't wake anybody. I crept downstairs, trying not to trip in the dark. Ember told me my grace would increase drastically, but I'd always been clumsy so I doubted it.

When I reached the bottom I noticed a light at the end of the hallway that led into the living room. Guess not everybody was asleep. I walked toward it with a hand in front of my eyes until they adjusted. The living room came into view, a spacious room that had creaky hardwood floors, an old but comfortable couch, two lamps, and an old fireplace that looked like it hadn't been used in years.

Amorpho was sitting on the couch, staring into space. At least, that's what it looked like. I can't really tell what he's doing without a face. I waved slightly, but didn't move.

_Hello, Danny_.

I choked on a scream and jumped about three feet. He didn't _speak_. The words just appeared in my head like subtitles. I blinked and rubbed my eyes furiously, thinking I was exhausted.

_This is real_.

I gaped at Amorpho who stood away from the couch and approached me. It took all my strength to stay where I was. I'd seen a lot of weird things lately, but this was one of the worst.

_This is why I never spoke to you. It tends to freak people out. I thought I'd wait a bit_. They were only words flashing through my mind, but they had a certain ring to them that almost sounded sarcastic. Against my will I felt my lips twitch.

We both stared at each other, waiting for the other to do something. It just felt so ridiculous I actually chuckled. Never in my life did I ever imagine anything like this happening to me, hell, I never even believed in crap like this. And now it was all dumped on me in about a day.

Laughter bubbled in my stomach, and I had to press my lips together to keep it from coming out. This was insanity.

_Well, your reaction is one of the most unique I've seen_. Amorpho crossed his arms over his chest. _All the others...never mind. They warmed up to me after a while, that's all that matters._

He shook his head like he was clearing away bad thoughts, and sat back down on the couch. It creaked slightly under his weight, loud in the silence of the room. I hesitated, but went to sit down on the other end. Neither of us spoke (or whatever the hell Amorpho did with the appearing words), we just sat in the quiet instead.

I glanced around the space. Everything was slightly dusty and seemed kinda old, like they bought everything from a thrift store. There was hardly any personal items, but it still had that lived in feeling, probably 'cause of the used furniture.

Valerie had given me a quick tour after dinner, everybody claiming it was "her turn". The house had three floors: living room/kitchen/training room/bathroom, bedrooms/bathroom, and more bedrooms. The training room was for practicing their powers. Valerie said I would be spending most of my time in there until I got the hang of my own powers. (There was a small incident I'd rather not get into.) The two floors above held everyone's bedrooms, mine, Ember's, Valerie's, and Tucker's on the second while Amorpho's, Johnny's, and Kitty's were on the third.

_Do you know what your ability is?_ The words floated across my vision; I had to fight the urge to blink.

I looked at Amorpho in confusion at his question, but he didn't look back. He faced forward, his hands curled into fists in his lap. Being this close to him I noticed he had a very slight purple glow. I glanced down at my own hands, but they seemed the same as they always had- callused, tan, with a little scar underneath my thumb on my right hand.

I remembered that fight.

Quickly, I banished the thought before I was sent back into the past. There was too much going on in the present to worry about things that have already happened.

_Danny? _

I jerked a bit when my name appeared in black letters. Still wasn't used to it. I bit my lip and gave my attention back to Amorpho. "I'm sorry. What was your question?" I whispered. Unlike him, I had to worry about being too loud.

Amorpho uncurled his fists and wiped his hands on his black slacks, still not looking at me. Then again, was there ever a need to? He had no face to look at or a voice to hear.

_Your ability?_ He wrote/sent/asked. _Ember told you we all get a special power along with the standard ones_. _Have you gotten yours yet? _

I shook my head, not sure if I was disappointed or relieved. "No. I don't think so. Other than being...well, half dead that is. What's yours? When did you get it?" I wanted to ask why he stayed in his ghost form all the time too, but I didn't want to be nosy. From what I could tell, everybody here had a story and none of them were particularly happy.

Amorpho shrugged. _I've been a Shifter since I woke up from the changing. I can turn into anybody and anything, but I mainly just stay in my ghost form. Even if I can't really speak._

I frowned; a mix of curiosity, awe, and pity rose inside me. He could be anybody he wanted and he chose this form? This lanky, purple dude with no face? There was obviously something missing to this explanation, and like I said before, I bet it wasn't happy. Still, I tried to lighten the mood. "Man, I'd kill for that ability. I'd be able to change my appearance to Johnny Depp or something. Imagine all the money, the parties!" I smirked and leaned back against the couch. "...And the girls."

Unfortunately, my words didn't have the effect I wanted them to. Amorpho's shoulders slumped and the sentence that flashed across my mind next seemed too weary for someone with this kind of power at his fingertips.

_When you're everybody, you're nobody_.

In the instant, something clicked. I suddenly understood why Amorpho stayed in his ghost from almost constantly. It's the only one where he was himself, not a copy of someone else. And that was worth it to him, in spite of his inability to talk or show expressions.

We both fell silent again.

There really weren't any words left to say.

* * *

The next time my eyes opened Johnny was about four inches away from my face. I screamed and bolted upright into Johnny's nose with a sickening crunch. He leaped back and clutched his bleeding nose, swearing and glaring at me heatedly.

"Wha' the hell, dude! I was jus' gonna wake ya up!" He shouted, his voice already sounding like his throat had been stuffed with cotton.

I glared back. "You could've done it from the other side of the room! If you'd just taken when step forward we would've been kissing, for God's sake!" A grimace of disgust made it's way onto my face.

"Oh, ya wish! I'm way ou' of ya league." His lips pulled back into a gruesome smirk. "Didn't 'dow you swung dat way, dude."

I snarled. "I'd quit talking unless your nose isn't the only thing you want broken." Not that I had anything against gay people, I just hated it when people made assumptions about me.

Not to mention Johnny was dick.

"Why don't ya-"

"For the love of God, I'm practically choking on the testosterone in here." Valerie spoke from the hallway, her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face. "Johnny, what the hell did you do?"

Johnny sputtered incoherently and waved his free arm in the air. "Me? He duh one who banged 'is head into my dose!"

Valerie's lips twitched, but she made an effort to seem upset. "Now, boys, let's play nice. And, Johnny, quit your whining. We all have accelerated healing, dumbass. You'll be fine in, like, ten minutes."

All the anger drained immediately drained out of me, and I was left staring at Valerie in surprise. "Really? I mean, I know Jazz said we have accelerated healing, but I didn't think it'd be that fast." I'd dealt with broken noses before (street fighter, remember?), and they always lasted somewhere around two weeks, still tender six later. Johnny's would be perfectly fine after a total time of fifteen minutes after being broken, if what Valerie said was true.

"That is so not the point!" Johnny's voice was already back to normal. "If this idiot-" He gestured in my direction. "-thinks he can get away with-"

Valerie groaned loudly. "Just shut up, Johnny. You can give him your tough guy speech later, okay? It's time for breakfast and then another patrol."

Johnny was silent, his green eyes narrowed as he glanced between Valerie and I. Finally, he grunted and pushed past Valerie toward the kitchen. When his grumbles faded Valerie looked back at me, expressionless. "So, get a good night's sleep last night?"

I bit my lip. There was something hidden in that question, but I couldn't tell what it was. Warily, I nodded my head. "Fine. You?"

She shrugged. "Okay enough." A grin suddenly appeared on her face, and she held out her arm. "Anyway, ready for breakfast? Jazz makes some killer french toast, and unless you're not hungry we better get there before Tucker and Johnny eat it all."

I relaxed slightly. Her voice sounded normal now. I grinned back. "Sounds good. I'm starving."

She rolled her eyes and bumped me with her hip when I reached her. "Aren't all boys?" She teased, slipping her arm through mine.

I gave her a dry smile. "Maybe. All I know is _I'm_ always hungry." That was true, but only because I used to live only the streets and usually had no idea what I was going to do for dinner. Not because of a high metabolism.

"Well, at least that's one pro to all this," Valerie said as we walked down the hallway. "We never run out of food here. Don't have to pay for it or anything. Not sure how it gets here though." She didn't seem to care about the answer. I decided if she didn't care then I didn't either. There were more important things to worry about.

"Well, look who survived the night!" I immediately recognized Tucker's slightly nasal voice. He was standing next to the old-fashioned stove where Jazz was mixing something in a bowl. There was a hint of cinnamon in the air, making my stomach growl. I realized I couldn't even remember the last time I ate.

"Morning, Danny. Val." Jazz greeted as she slapped Tucker's hand away from the bowl. My first impression was "morning person". Her red hair pulled back from her face by a blue headband, she was fully dressed in a matching long-sleeved shirt and black skinny jeans, and her eyes didn't hold even a hint of sleepiness.

I smiled at Jazz while Valerie only mumbled something and went to sit next to Ember (who was_ not_ a morning person) at the table.

Johnny glared at me from the end of the table, his nose completely healed. I shook my head, incredulously. God, what I would've done for that ability a few days ago. Kitty was sitting next to him and rubbing his back, as if he'd just gotten back from a fight. Like Jazz, she looked perfect despite the early hour.

_Morning, everyone._ The words flashed across my vision just like last night. Thankfully, it didn't scare the shit outta me this time. Everybody looked up at the doorway where Amorpho stood. He was dressed the same as last night, except this time he was wearing a black fedora.

There were various greetings from the Keepers, some more perky than others. Huh. So, the words didn't just appear in _my_ mind then. Amorpho could project them to a number of people. Useful.

Amorpho took the last seat at the table, the one next to me. He waved slightly.

I waved back.

"So, Danny." Ember sighed and turned to face me. Her blue hair was even wilder than normal, and her black eyeliner was smudged. "You ready for your first patrol?" She propped her head on her hand like it was too heavy, and I noticed her fingernails were painted black.

I shrugged helplessly. "Not really. I haven't trained at all, I don't know what my special ability is, I've never been on a patrol before, or-"

Ember rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, you don't need to worry about any of that. You'll be a natural. There was a reason I chose you, you know. All you gotta do is collect a few souls."

"A few angry, murderous souls," Johnny muttered.

"Don't listen to him," Jazz sighed before pouring batter into a frying pan. "Johnny's a bit grouchy this morning. It's really not that hard, Danny. Most of it's instinct. But, I suppose if you want to sit this one out and just watch, that's fine." She gave me a gentle smile over her shoulder.

Surprisingly, Valerie agreed with her. "Yeah, Danny. If you don't want to patrol right now, it's cool. I'm sure we can handle it without you one more time." She straightened her yellow tank top in a show of nonchalance. There was something hidden in her voice again, and I got the feeling she was testing me. I stiffened in response to her unspoken words. Valerie was challenging me, and I'd be damned if I lost.

I shook my head firmly. "I'll go tonight."

**AN: SO SORRY ABOUT TAKING SO LONG! I won't waste your time with excuses. Just know that I plan on never taking longer than two weeks to update. If that doesn't work out (I will do my best, but things happen.) than please feel free to PM me a few choice words. It'll give me the kick in the butt I need. Thank you for reading! I hope I haven't lost anybody!  
**

**Sorry about the low action in this chapter, but I promise the next one will be jam packed with the stuff!**

**R&R. **

**...You know what to do.**


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